Motivational Monday: Seeing Progress

Doing a new link-up for Monday, Motivational Monday from Kelsey at Random Randts. She is blogger I stumbled upon through Assignment Amanda.

Anyhoo...

Starting on January 5th I started tracking what went in my mouth, cleaning up what went in my mouth and busting my butt at the gym.  I mean like I have been doing a few 2x a days which is something I haven't done in almost a year. As weird as it sounds, it feels so good! I have been on point with my eating and it just keeps fueling my fire. My sugary chocolatey cravings have gone to the wayside. 

I am also participating in a contest at my gym and the grand prize is $450! So another big motivator. Progress has been good and I cannot wait to see how the leader board changes after this week. I dropped 9 inches and 2.6lbs.

These types of weeks continue 

So motivated to keep going and see what this week brings!

Obligatory

I honestly cannot believe that 2014 is over. 

Like in less than 48 hours we will enter a new year. 

A new year with all the possibilities in the world. 

A fresh clean slate to mark however we want.

A year to continue what we started in 2014.

A  few weeks ago I was working out with my girls and it was just the 3 of us and we tend to chat because well to be stereotypical we are woman but more importantly we are friends. We discussed how we are no where near where we were weight wise during a different time of the year.

That got me thinking...

No I'm not where I was but I am not where I started. Cliche yes but it is true!

So bring on 2015 because I can only get better!

When You Miss the Gym

Again this week I am hooking up with the lovely Aubrey at ALG, Uninterrupted 

and her Friday link-up.

This week was a bad week in terms of getting to the gym. Usually I have no problem getting up at 4:25 every morning and heading to the gym for an hour sweat sesh on the spin bikes or total body.  Like I need that morning wake up to get me going and get through the day. 

This week though

I made it 1 day

Seriously, 1 day!

How pathetic right????

However, I am just going to chalk it up to a bad week and move on. There is a class tomorrow that **fingers crossed** Reagan has a good night of sleep which means I do and I get my butt to class!

I will say, old Megan may have crawled back in her hole until the first of the year because I fell off the wagon. Instead I just brush it off and move on. There is no point in dwelling in the past. What's done is done and we can't go back in fix it. 

So take that crappy week of not making it to the gym, you ain't got nothin on me!

How Did We Get Here

This morning at the gym, A and I were having a conversation about how we got to be where we were in our relationship with food, our bodies, weight loss etc.

On my way home then I thought more about it.

I thought about how I felt as a kid growing up. 

My relationships with food.

My relationship with my body.

They all stunk.

Sometimes they still stink.

I was overweight growing up. And it wasn't as common then to see an overweight kid (especially in my small town) as it is now (sad fact but true). I was always in sports but was still the big girl. I actually remember other coaches referring to me as "the big girl." Grown men calling me that. This is also where I learned to smile even though I knew it was true. I would be the typical girl who would be smiling on the outside while on the inside I was cursing myself for eating that extra cookie or drinking that can of pop. Talk about an unhealthy relationship.

Now though, I "try" not to beat myself up if I slip. Most days I can brush it off. Own up to it, and move on. As long as I acknowledge my slip up and don't allow myself to start down that slipper slope again I'm better than I used to be.

Do I beat myself up at times, absolutely.

Does it undo the bad choices, nope.

So does it pay to beat myself up, nope.

 Baby steps people baby steps. I celebrate the good choices, acknowledge the bad and continue to put one foot in front of the other. Because at the end of the day, sometimes that is an accomplishment all on its own.

Happy Friday! 

Weekend Recap- GYSTS14

I've written a post before, about how I struggle with the weekends. You can read it here. They tend to throw me off track, I don't have the structure like I do during the week. That being said, keeping on track during the weekend is a goal of mine during this #GYSTS14

The first weekend, I did good. I stayed on track food wise, went to a Saturday morning workout and got my steps in.

This weekend...not so much...

Friday night Matt and I had a sitter. We didn't do anything wild and crazy, just some quality alone time. I love my daughter with all my being but it was nice to have a normal conversation and eat a hot dinner.

Obligatory Date Night Selfie

Saturday we went to the fair. Last fair of the season. Nothing crazy food wise but I did have some french fries and a milkshake. Well let me rephrase that, Reagan had a milkshake and I got some of it.

Then Sunday came... I was running around like a mad woman. So fast food for breakfast happened. Subway and a cookie for lunch happened. Oreo bomb cake for dessert happened.

Yea...

Then I remembered though, Monday I get a new day. A fresh start to the week. Today I kicked butt. I had a great workout. A good protein packed breakfast. My lunch was awesome. I don't have dinner planned but I know I have the choice to make it a god choice. So regardless of my weekend, I started fresh today. And I will win today. And tomorrow and heck the rest of the week. Then come next weekend, I won't slide down the slippery slope. Happy Monday!

Support

I've been on this weight loss journey before. I've tried group meetings and doing things solo and every thing in between. What I've discovered is, I need support. I need people who are on the same journey I am on.

Going at it alone I have no one to talk to about it. I have no one who has the same struggles as I do about getting up in the morning to make it to the gym. No one to share my victories with and to help pick me up when I get defeated. Going at it alone hasn't worked before so I wasn't sure why I thought it would this time either.

Matt always supports me, he is always in my corner no matter what. However, he isn't on the same journey I am. While he is great for moral support he doesn't always get it.

This guy, my rock, my everything. Always in my corner

Once I swallowed the pill that I can't do this alone and opened myself up to allow others in on my journey I found some pretty amazing people. These people are there for me when I need a pick me up, to celebrate my successes and every where in between. They have become more than gym support, they have become friends.

These 3 ladies, #gymbuddiesforlife Always there for a pick me up, a check in and a kick butt workout.
Crazy how life brings people into your life or in D's case, back into your life just when you need them most.

This lady has pushed me far beyond what I ever thought I would be able to do. She has me doing leg raises while holding myself up, even running! When I have wanted to give up she pushes me to keep going. While I'm not where I want to be, I wouldn't be as far as I am without her!

These 2 ladies have been there through college, weddings, babies and boyfriends.

Having the right support makes all the difference. I have insecurities but my gym buddies and friends don't point them out. Now don't confuse that with being called out when you aren't putting 110% in because I need that from time to time. Like the text message that they miss me, or reading on face.book about the kick butt workout I missed. Gives me the push I need.

I encourage any one who is on this weight loss journey to find a buddy, through whatever means, face.book groups, IG, real life and use them. Find someone who you can count on but don't be just a taker in the relationship, you have to be there for them too. You have to encourage them, be there when they stumble, celebrate their victories even when you don't have anything to celebrate and push them even when you are finding it hard to push yourself.

So I thank my gym buddies, trainer and friends, family and of course Matt for being there for me.

The Little Things- Wednesday Link-up

I'm usually bad at this link up thing. I'm not blogger savvy by any means. However, I've been following this lady (www.assignmentamanda.blogspot.com) for a few weeks and her and I are pretty much at the same place in our weight loss journeys.

She is also holding a July arm challenge on IG #assignmentamandagunshow which you all should join in!

Anyhoo, back to the link up...

This link up (co-hosted by Candra from Camo and Lipstick) is about taking the negative situation and finding the positive. So here goes. Negative- I am no where near where I need to be on this weight loss journey. Positive- I have discovered so much about myself since beginning this journey. I've found a love for going to the gym or working out with my cute workout partner. I love finding ways to make my favorite foods healthier and cleaner. I've become such a better wife and mom since I have taken time for myself. I feel rejuvenated when I get done with a workout and I no longer feel like I'm on the sidelines while life is passing me by. Am I where I want to be, no, but am I doing things that I am supposed to be doing, absolutely! Taking time to enjoy the process because that is part of the process. As the old adage goes, take time to stop and smell the flowers.

Forgiving Yourself

***I apologize for the absence. My brother got married on Saturday, it has been a bit chaotic***

While this journey to becoming a better me has mostly been about weight loss and getting healthier there have been other improvements along the way. Areas of myself that maybe I didn't even know I was lacking in or never even thought of improving.

One of those areas that never crossed my mind, learning to forgive myself

When I would eat foods I shouldn't (like a whole thing of Oreo's), go overboard at a buffet to the point of being uncomfortable, or simply not eat I would get mad at myself. I would criticize myself for eating foods I knew weren't healthy, for over eating on those unhealthy foods. I became mad at myself which would lead to more binge eating of crap food. It was a vicious cycle.

My unforgiving ways would also go to my workouts. If I overslept I would beat myself up all day. Like seriously, how could you not get out of bed, laziness, pure laziness. Then as I would be relaxing on the couch at night I would have this nagging voice that I needed to go do something. I needed to stop being a bum on the couch.

Yea, I was mean to myself. I was very unforgiving when I would slip-up.

I'm not sure why I beat myself up.

I obviously wasn't perfect before I started this journey.

Not sure why I thought that starting this journey I would never miss a workout or eat crap foods.

I knew I would, because I'm not perfect. If I was perfect I wouldn't be trying to lose the weight in the first place!

Source- pin.terest

Here lately though I've been forgiving myself.

Now this is not to be confused with making excuses. There is a HUGE difference!

For example, this wedding and helping my mom get everything around has made for some long nights and restless sleep.  There were times that I chose to sleep instead of doing my 5am workouts.

Old Megan would have beat myself up about it but not done anything on my own.

Improved Megan acknowledged that my body needed the sleep and then since I also knew that I needed to workout I pushed myself to do it. Alone. No gym. No coach. Just me and Reagan (usually). I didn't use the excuse I was tired to sit my butt on the couch at night. I used that as motivation, like hey I didn't work out this morning so now I have to use my evening to do it!

source- pint.terest

The same goes for eating.

I don't eat perfect. I try my hardest to be healthy 80-90% of the time. There's times I don't. Not beating myself up as I continue to lick the brownie batter but instead, stop eating the crap, acknowledge that I did and do some burpees to feel better!

It is just amazing to me how this journey is shaping me into the woman I always knew I was but had forgotten I could be.

Boot Camp Day 2

Day 2

Breakfast-
Advocare Chocolate Shake made into a muffin with 2tbsp peanut butter

Lunch-
Leftover Ham Steak & green beans


Supper-
Hamburger (no bun)

Snacks-
Blue Diamond Strawberry Almonds
Medium Honeycrisp Apple with 2tbsp peanut butter

Water intake-149.2oz

Steps- 9,024 not quite 10k but better than the day before at 6,849

Exercise- I slept in. Did not make it to the gym and the weather was nice so Matt was spraying so no gym in the evening. I decided to make my own and went up to the Shrine park with Reagan and we walked, did tricep dips, and 2 workout programs from Instagram. Ended up with a great workout in am hour and a tired baby.

Old Megan would have just walked or said screw it, new Megan voluntarily did burpees, crazy stuff!

Boot Camp

Today was the first day for the buddy boot camp at the gym. I have a pretty awesome buddy and we are ready to kick butt!

In order to keep myself accountable during this 8 week boot camp I plan on blogging about my daily intakes, exercises and whatever else comes to mind. This will be pretty similar to the posts I did about the 24 day challenge (starting here).

My buddy A and I are planning on heading to the store together on Saturday morning and we are going to be texting each other throughout the day to keep us in check. We both are usually at the gym in the mornings and we both want to get some 2 a days in. With the boot camp we get personal trainings and our hope is to be able to do them on Sunday mornings. That way I don't have to worry about a sitter for Reagan. Plus, I will get a good start to my Sunday which usually according to my fitbit is my laziest day.

Day 1

Breakfast-
Advocare Berry Shake

Lunch-
Modified "stir fry"- veggies and chicken no rice
Blue Diamond Strawberry Almonds

Supper-
Ham steak and a veggie

Snacks-
Best Life Peanut Butter Extreme Protein Bar
Medium Honeycrisp Apple with 2tbsp peanut butter

Water intake- So far today I am at 129.5. My goal is at very least a gallon but more along the lines of 150oz.

Steps- 10,000 so far today I am at 3,602

Exercise- I woke up late but still managed to get a 45 minute spin/lift in.

Goals for the bootcamp-
1. 30lbs total.
2. I'm bad at figuring out inches lost but lets shoot for 10 inches.
3. Run a mile without stopping
4. Full out burpee

Week 1 goal- 3lbs

Rewards-
1. Shopping for 2 new pair of jeans
2. Massage
3. Pedicure

There it is, all laid out for the world to see.

Bring it boot camp, you ain't got nothin on me!